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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · temple · cap · wake · dip · file · game · pass

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. file — a document
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cap — a hat
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cap — of ice
  14. game — a match
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — a lid
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. file — a tool
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. scale — in music
  22. file — a line of people
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com